Display hanger



Sept. 22, 1959 E. E. SCHAEFER DISPLAY HANGER Filed Dec. 23, 1957 INVENTOR.

r Patented S p 9 1959 DISPLAY IMNGER Edward E. Schaefer, River Forest, Ill.

Application December 23, 1957, Serial No. 704,499

. 2 Claims. (Cl. 223-95) This invention relates to a display hanger, and more particularly relates to a clothing display hanger that is adapted to be substantially concealed by the garment being supported and displayed.

One of the several problems encountered by clothiers and dealers in womens clothing, particularly as to lingerie items and like accessories, is that of effectively and attractively displaying the various clothing items from a rack or similar support such that the garment is displayed without unduly diverting a customers attention to the support device and with a minimum consumption of storage space. In addition, it has heretofore been a problem to attractively display womens garments so as to minimize the possibilities of the garment being accidentally disengaged from the hanger and soiled.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved display hanger so constructed and arranged as to be substantially concealed from view while in use by portions of a garment being supported and displayed thereon.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved display hanger having its end portions so constructed and arranged as to provide a simplified and secure engagement with the waistband portion of a garment to be supported and displayed therefrom.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a novel, adjustable, wire-type hanger that is simple in construction and operation, economical to produce, light in weight, and which requires no maintenance.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon making reference to the following detailed description and accompanying sheet of drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a reduced scale elevational view of one specific embodiment of my invention, showing its general appearance and relationship when supporting and displaying a typical elastic waistband type garment;

Fig. 2 is an elevational View of the display hanger of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view, with some parts in elevation, of an end portion of the device shown in Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary elevational view, partly in section and with portions removed to show underlying parts,

of another display hanger embodiment of my invention;

and

Fig. 5 is a transverse view taken substantially along the line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Briefly described, the present invention generally contemplates an improved, light weight display hanger construction for use in supporting and displaying articles of clothing from a waistband thereof, particularly items of womens wearing apparel such as skirts and petticoats. To this end, a novel support hook and crossbar construction is contemplated wherein a substantial portion of the hanger is concealed by the garment supported thereon, thereby minimizing any tendencies of the hanger to detract from the appearance of the garment being displayed.

Accordingly, one embodiment of the invention employs a laterally extending crossbar with an integral, centrally disposed hook formed from superimposed loops of the crossbar wire to provide a point of attachment for the device. In order to provide the combined support and display features of the invention, the ends of the crossbar are offset or inclined upwardly and preferably inwardly to define a pair of spaced retaining shoulders for engagement with the elastic waistband of the garment to be supported thereon. A pair of collar members are desirably carried by the inclined portions of the crossbar to supplement the retaining action of the shoulders thereof, and protective tips may be provided over the remote ends of the wire to prevent injury to a user or person inspecting the displayed garment.

In another embodiment of the invention, a two-piece crossbar construction is employed in the display hanger, the inner adjacent ends of the separate crossbar portions being formed as loops or flattened to increase their vertical thickness dimension at this point, while the outermost ends of the separate crossbars are offset upwardly and are provided with clamp type attachment means. A tubular sleeve having a generally elongated, oval crosssection encloses the thickened inner looped ends of the crossbar portions to prevent their rotating in the sleeve and to permit limited telescoping movement of the crossbar parts for adjustment of the crossbar length. A centrally disposed hook is carried by the tubular sleeve portion intermediate the looped portions of the crossbar parts to provide a point of attachment for the hanger.

Thus one form of my invention is particularly adapted to support and display articles of clothing having an elastic waistband, the resiliency of which is effective to maintain the garment in engaged supported relationship on the shoulders of the hanger, while the two-piece crossbar construction employed in the modified form of my invention particularly lends itself for use in supporting and displaying articles not having an elastic waistband and where adjustability for various sized garments is desired.

Referring now to Figs. 1 and 2, a display hanger 10, constructed according to the principles of my invention is illustrated in use with a typical garment to be displayed therefrom, as for example a womans petticoat 11 having an elastic waistband 12. As best shown in Fig. 2, the display hanger 10 generally comprises a crossbar 13 and an integral hook 14 which may be formed from a single length of wire or like material. The crossbar 13 has its end portions turned upwardly, as at 16, and preferably inwardly at an angle to provide inclined portions 17. The end extremities 18 extend outwardly in reverse fashion so as to define a generally Z-shaped configuration at each end of the crossbar. Protective end caps 26 of plastic or the like may be provided on the tips 18. The offset portions 17 thus define a pair of inclined retaining shoulders that are adapted to engage the elastic waistband portion 12 of the garment 11 to be supported and displayed thereon, as will be hereinafter more fully described.

The hook 14 is preferably formed integrally with the crossbar 13 by a pair of superimposed loops 21 disposed centrally of the crossbar 13. This superimposed loop construction thus presents a single thickness appearance to the display hanger 141 when viewed in plan, while at the same time providing double thickness strength and a pleasing appearance. It should be understood, however, that any other suitable hook construction having the necessary strength and design characteristics could be used in place of the integral superimposed loop construction.

In order to strengthen the hanger and prevent separation or displacement of the superimposed loops 21, a

retaining ring 22 mayalso be provided around the loops adjacent the intersection of the hook 14 with the crossbar 13. It will be understood, however, that any other suitable type of reinforcing construction could be employed at the intersection of the book '14 and oross'bar 13 if desired, as for example a spot weld or crirnped sleeve.

Referring now'more particularly toFig. '3 in conjunction with Fig. 2, it will be seen that a pair of tubular sleeves 'or collars 23 are provided on the inclinedoifset portions or shoulders 17 to impart additional retaining action with respect to thee'lastic waistband 12. The upwardly and preferably inwardly inclined wire portions 17 provide the principal retaining means for-the-elastic waistband 12, but improved retention is obtained if the wire portions 17 have protuberances or enlarged portions. Although integral protuberances can be tea-1,1 prefer the separate sleeves 23 of rubber or like material for the additional frictional retentioneifect of the rubber in contact with the fabric of the waistband 17., As seen in 'Fig. 3,t'he ends of the sleeves 23 provide radially'extending abutments 24 such that the upper edge portion of the elastic waistband 12 is retracted into the pockets formed between the wire portions 17 and the sleeve ends 24. Thus, the garment 11 is securely retained in supported engagement on the hanger by the combined action ofthe shoulders 17, j the abutments 24, and the frictional coaction between the rubber sleeves 23 and 'the 'fabric ofthe waistband 12. It will also be appreciated that the over-all size 'of the display hanger '10, and particularly the length ofthe crossbar '13,.may be varied to accommodate a widerange of various sized garments.

In use, one of the retaining shoulders 17 of the display 34 thereto in any convenient manner. The sleeve 37 may be formed fromstrong, resilient material, as for example rubber or plastic, to thus permit the looped ends 36 of the crossbar portions 33a and 33b to be inserted axially through the openings 39 and slidably supported in the sleeve 37. The general position and arrangement of the engaged, slidable looped ends 36 of the crossbar portions 33a and 33b in the sleeve 37 is illustrated in Fig. 5. The sleeve 37 is sufliciently long to overlap the looped end portions 36 of the 'crossbars 33a and 33b so as to accommodate a sliding teleseoping "movement therebetween and thus permit a variance in the effective length of thecrossbar 33.

Each crossbar ,iportion 33a and 33b also includes a vertical upwardly extending offset portion 42 and a horizontal outwardly extending end portion 43. Each horizontally extending end portion 43 carries a garment attachment means, as for example a spring clamp 44 or the like, which is slidable along the horizontal portions 43 to provide an additional range of adjustment to the length of the crossbar 33. Each clamp 44 may be retained on the horizontal portions 43 by upsetting or staking the remote outer ends of the horizontal portions 43,'as indicated at 46, though other suitable means could hanger 10 is initially engaged with the elastic waistband portion 12 ofa garment, such as a petticoat 11, so that the elastic waistband '12 fits over the abutment 24, as shown in Fig. 3. The elastic waistband '12 is then stretched over the opposite end of the crossbar 13 so that the opposite end thereof engages the opposite retaining shoulder 17 and abutment 24 in a similar manner. The natural resiliency of the-elastic material in the waistband 12 thus serves to maintain the garment 'in supported relationship on the hanger 19. As will be seen in Figs. 1 and 3, substantially all of the crossbar 13 and the .lower portion of the book 14 will be concealed by the waistband portion 12 of the garment when the latter is engaged and supported on the hanger, thereby minimizing any tendency of the display hanger 10 to distract a customers attention from the garment being displayed.

Referring now to Fig. 4, another display hanger 30 is illustrated, embodying the principles of the present invention. The display hanger 30 is similar to the display hanger 10, in that it is constructed and arranged to be substantially concealed by portions of the garment being supported thereon, such as a womans skin: 31. The display hanger 30 differs, however, from the display hanger 10 in that it is particularly adapted .to support and disglzay garments that have a non-elastic waistband, as at The display hanger 30 comprises a two-piece crossbar 33 having wire crossbar ,portions 33a and 33b and a centrally disposed support hook shown fragmentarily at .34. Each crossbar portion 33aand 33b has its inner adjacent end formed with .a loop .36 having its larger dimension disposed .in vertical coplanar alignment with the plane of the hook 34. It should .be understood, however, that .the dimensions of the inner adjacent ends of the crossbar portions 33a and 33b could be increased by flattening or other conventional techniques.

A): .elongated .oval sleeve 37 encloses the inner looped ends '36 .of the crossbar portions 33a and 33b in snugfitting .but slidable .engagement,=the;end portions 38 thereof having axial openings 39 through which the crossbar ,portions 33a and 33b extend. The sleeve .37 also iincludes 'means (not shown) for securing thehook also be employed.

Referring 'now to Fig. '5 in conjunction with Fig 4, it will be-seen that eachspring clamp 44 includes a pair of .pivotally engageable jaw members 47 having upstanding tabs or finger pieces 48 which pivot about a central axis provided by "the horizontally extending portion 43. To this end, each -clamp member 44 also includes aspaced pair of lateral 'flanges 51 having apertures 52 through which the corresponding crossbar portion 43 extends for pivotally mounting the clamp. Spring means (not shown) are provided to normally urge the jaw members 47 toward each other andinto clamping engagement with the waistband portion 32 of the Shirt 31.

Thus it will be apparent that the telescopic engagement of the crossbar portions 33a and 33b in the sleeve 37, together with the limited range of sliding movement of the attachment clamps 44 on the horizontally extending crossbar portions 43, permit a substantial degree of adjustment of the length of the crossbar 33 to thus accommodate a wide range of various sized garments to be supported and displayed therefrom. It will further be apparent 'that because of the clamping action of the jaws 47 a wide variety of garments may be supported and displayed from the hanger 30 regardless of whether or not .they'have an elastic waistband.

In the use of the display hanger 30, it is only necessary to initially telescopically adjust the crossbar portions 33a and 33b in the sleeve .37 to substantially correspond to the width of the waistband of a garment to be supported thereon, and thereafter to clampingly engage the attachment clamps 44 to the remote ends of .the waistband of the garment, such that a substantial portion of the crossbar 33 is concealed within or behind the upper part of the .garment. Once the jaws of the attachment clamps 44 are engaged with the garment, the spring tension will frictionally retain the, garment from disengagement therefrom in a conventional manner.

While only two embodiments of the present invention haveherein been illustrated and described, it should be understood that variations and modifications thereof may be effected without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims,

I claim:

'1. A display hanger for supporting a garment having an elastic waistband, comprisinga crossbar having a pair pfgenerally Z-shapedoppositely facing end portions, including upwardly and inwardly inclined diagonal portions, annular protuberances-extending around said diagonal :portions, said ;protuberances terminating .below the upper ends pf .saiddiaggnalportions and having upper end surfaces 1 egrtending substantially radially .of said .diagonal portions, said upper end surfaces being of greater References Cited in the file of this patent diameter than said diagonal portions to provide a pair of UNITED STATES PATENTS radially proyectmg annular shoulders thereby defining retaining pockets between said shoulders and said end por- 858,298 Llberty June 1907 tions of said crossbar for receiving and securely retaining 5 1,329,877 Barclay 1920 the upper edge portion of an elastic waistband, and means 2,096,717 H1116 1937 on said crossbar for mounting the hanger on a support. 2,194,191 W 1940 2. The device of claim 1 further characterized in that 2,545,637 Tlbbltts 1951 said protuberances comprise tubular sleeves of rubber or 2583996 Cavanagh Jam 1952 like material mounted on said diagonal portions for fric- 10 21608524 Curner 1952 fionally engaging the waistband 2725164 Mordkin 1955 

